The Octopus, Monaco’s first solar-powered catamaran

Carole Simonsen is the owner of an Octopus, the first solar-powered catamaran to sail in Monaco. It uses no fuel and is eco-friendly. Created by Philippe Marengo, the Octopus is the largest boat in its class, runs on solar energy, produces no sound or odor and is self-powered, thanks to its photovoltaic panels.

Carole Simonsen arrives to her new boat via scooter, which she uses to travel around Monaco and demonstrates her commitment to the environment. This Monegasque is the owner of the first solar-powered and self-sufficient catamaran in Monaco.

“I was looking for a boat that respected the environment. I looked and looked, and finally, thanks to my mother, I met a man who created this type of boat, a solar-powered catamaran, which is unique because it is eco-responsible, it is autonomous, it uses renewable energy, because it uses photovoltaic panels on its roof, its odorless and noiseless.”

The Octopus is the largest boat in its field and was designed by Philippe Marengo.

“We had the green light to create a boat that was capable of functioning on solar energy, which charges its batteries. So those were the important specifications of this boat, which had to be constructed with light-weight materials, because the structure needs to be able to carry a solar-roof and the boat needs to be able to function under that weight. 1,600 watts of photovoltaic energy is absorbed, which is very important for a boat that is, above all, reasonably small and accessible to all. It is 6 meters long and 2.40 meters wide,” said Philippe Marengo, designer of the Octopus and SunSeaRider.

The Octopus can accommodate up to eight people and has navigated along the coast, via the Plage de la Mala in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.

It has already been tested in Polynesian waters, where it is used by groups of people who are happy to use boats that respect the environment.